The Queen v Brenton Harrison Tarrant

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The Queen v Brenton Harrison Tarrant
CourtHigh Court of New Zealand
Decided2020
Citation[2020] NZHC 2192
Court membership
Judge sittingMander

The Queen v Brenton Harrison Tarrant [2020] NZHC 2192 was a New Zealand sentencing case regarding Brenton Tarrant's involvement in the Christchurch mosque shootings after his guilty plea. It culminated in the first-ever life imprisonment without the possibility of parole sentence in New Zealand history.

Sentencing

Armed police outside Christchurch courthouse during Tarrant's sentencing

Sentencing began on 24 August 2020 before Justice Cameron Mander at the Christchurch High Court,[1] and it was televised.[2] Tarrant did not oppose the sentence proposed and declined to address the court.[3][4] The Crown prosecutors demonstrated to the court how Tarrant had meticulously planned the two shootings and more attacks,[5][6] while numerous survivors and their relatives gave victim impact statements, which were covered by national and international media.[7] Tarrant was then sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole for each of the 51 murders,[8] and life imprisonment for engaging in a terrorist act and 40 attempted murders.[9] The sentence is New Zealand's first terrorism conviction.[10][11] It was also the first time that life imprisonment without parole, the maximum sentence available in New Zealand, had been imposed.[note 1] Mander said Tarrant's crimes were "so wicked that even if you are detained until you die, it will not exhaust the requirements of punishment and denunciation."[9][13]

References

  1. ^ "Significantly fewer victims to attend Christchurch mosque gunman's sentencing due to Covid restrictions". Stuff. 18 August 2020. Archived from the original on 22 August 2020. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
  2. ^ Leask, Anna (18 August 2020). "Christchurch mosque attacks: More details released about gunman's sentencing". The New Zealand Herald. Archived from the original on 18 August 2020. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
  3. ^ Leask, Anna; Bayer, Kurt (27 August 2020). "Christchurch mosque attack sentencing: Brenton Tarrant will never be released from jail". The New Zealand Herald. Archived from the original on 27 August 2020. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
  4. ^ Graham-Mclay, Charlotte (27 August 2020). "Christchurch shooting: mosque gunman sentenced to life without parole". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 28 August 2020. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
  5. ^ "New Zealand court hears how mosque shooter planned deadly attacks". TRT World. 25 August 2020. Archived from the original on 26 August 2020. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  6. ^ "Christchurch shooting: Gunman Tarrant wanted to kill 'as many as possible'". BBC News. 24 August 2020. Archived from the original on 25 August 2020. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  7. ^ Multiple sources:
  8. ^ Lourens, Mariné (27 August 2020). "Christchurch mosque gunman jailed 'until his last gasp'". Stuff. Archived from the original on 27 August 2020. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
  9. ^ a b R v Tarrant, 2020 NZHC 2192 (Christchurch High Court 27 August 2020).
  10. ^ "Christchurch mosque attack: Brenton Tarrant sentenced to life without parole". No. 27 August 2020. BBC. Archived from the original on 9 August 2021. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
  11. ^ Perry, Nick (23 August 2020). "Families confront New Zealand mosque shooter at sentencing". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 13 February 2023. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
  12. ^ "The ins and outs of life without parole". Newswroom. 28 March 2019. Archived from the original on 28 August 2020. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
  13. ^ "New Zealand mosque shooter given life in prison for 'wicked' crimes". Reuters. 27 August 2020. Archived from the original on 27 August 2020. Retrieved 27 August 2020.

Notes

  1. ^ Capital punishment in New Zealand was abolished for murder in 1961, and for all crimes in 1989. The option to sentence an offender to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole was introduced in 2010.[12]